“What did she say?”
She lets out a dry laugh. “She basically told me to stay away from you and implied that you two are together. It was pathetic, really.”
Interesting.
I rub a hand down my face to conceal my smile.
Ellie got territorial.
“She seems kind of crazy,” Morales continues.
I’m getting the sense she isn’t telling me the full story. “Why do you say that?”
Her shoulders lift and she takes a slow drink before answering. “Because clearly you’re not interested in her. It’s sad.”
Now I definitely know Morales isn’t telling me the full story.
I don’t give a shit though, because all I’m hearing is Ellie staked her claim on me and it’s the best news I’ve heard all day.
“It’s not sad.” I rise to stand, ready to be done with this conversation. “We’re together.”
Morales gasps and I wonder if she realizes how loud it was. “You are? But why?”
Instead of indulging Morales, I look at the clock and count down the minutes until I’m off shift and back with my girl.
She still feels something.
CHAPTER 33
Elyse
YOU’RE STARING
PRESENT
It’s been six days. Six long, exhausting days.
After the first night, Dominic worked two straight twelve-hour shifts. For a while, I almost felt normal—just a single patrol car parked out front while I went about my usual business. I barely noticed it.
Dominic did little more than eat and sleep when he wasn’t at work, and I kept myself locked away in the safety of my bedroom, pretending not to notice his presence.
But then came day four.
I came home from work, Ethan following me to make sure I made it safely. I hadn’t been in for more than two seconds when I heard a loud thud in the garage.
Dominic’s patrol SUV was parked out front, so I wasn’t necessarily scared, more curious.
I opened the door to find him shirtless and sweaty. He’d moved over some weights and set up a workout area in my garage.
I’ve seen him shirtless before, but that was back when he was barely more than a boy.
I can confirm he’s not a boy anymore.
He’s a man. A muscled, tattooed, delicious man.
My gaze instantly caught on the trail of hair running down the center of his abdomen, disappearing beneath the waistband of his shorts. I couldn’t stop staring at the bulge there, my mouth watering at the thought of what I already knew he was packing.
“You good?” Dominic asked, smirking as he wiped the sweat off his forehead with a rag, veins visible along his forearms.
